The National Assembly House Committee On Public Petitions has summoned the Minister of the Niger Delta Affairs, Abubakar Momoh to appear before it on Thursday, March 7, 2024, to defend a petition filed against him by the Benin National Congress, BNC, a Benin socio-cultural organization over alleged marginalisation against Edo South people by his Ministry.

The Benin National Congress had in a petition signed by its President, Aiyamenkhue Edokpolo and the Secretary General, Comrade Maxwell Uwagboe and titled “Unfair Exclusion Of Edo South Senatorial District For the Allocation Of Projects/Amenities” by the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Abubakar Momoh urged the National Assembly to investigate the Minister’s action.

The Chairman, National Assembly House Committee On Public Petition in a Summons/Hearing Notice to the Minister (Respondent) and the Benin National Congress (Petitioner) dated 21^st day of February, 2024″ stated as follows:

“Whereas the above named petition is now pending before this Committee and the particulars of the petition aforesaid are already within your knowledge.

“And whereas, the petition has been assigned to be heard by the Committee for determination. You Are Hereby required to note Sections 88 and 89 © of our constitution (as amended) and appear in person before this Committee on Thursday 7^th day of March, 2024 at 2:00pm or so soon thereafter as the Committee shall direct:

“Please bear in mind the NCDC Protocols. Venue: House of Representatives Room 429 (New Wing).

“You are to Submit one (1) soft and ten (10) hard copies of your brief on the matter. And Further Take Notice that if you do not attend the hearing as required, the case may be heard or determined in your absence. Issued this 21^st day of February, 2024” the summons/ hearing notice further stated.

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Tajudeen Abbas had a fourth night ago directed the House Committee on Public Petitions to investigate a petition by the Benin National Congress, BNC a Benin socio-cultural organization which accused the Minister of the Niger Delta Affairs, Abubakar Momoh of unfair treatment of the people of Edo South senatorial district of Edo State in the distribution of projects and other amenities.

The Speaker gave the directive soon after a futile attempt by the house majority leader, Professor Julius Ihonvbere to stop the petition from being tabled by the member representing Egor/Ikpoba-Okha Federal Constituency of Edo state, Murphy Osaro Omoruyi.

Hon. Ihonvbere objected to the presentation of the BNC petition by Hon. Murphy Omoruyi on the ground that it was unmeritorious and his objection was graciously overruled by the Honorable Speaker, by granting Hon. Omoruyi’s leave to lay the petition upon the table, and directed the House Committee in Public Petitions to investigate it.

The Benin National Congress also in the petitioned, lamented what it described as the unfair treatment of the people of Edo South senatorial district of Edo State in the distribution of projects/amenities by the Minister of the Niger Delta Minister, Abubakar Momoh.

The petitioner appealed however that the “Budget of the Ministry of the Niger-Delta be revisited to enable the needful corrections and the allocation of projects to include Edo South Senatorial District being the largest by land mass, the largest by population, the only District in Edo State that is oil and gas producing with its well known environmental degradation to stave off the anger over this unmerited deprivation”. (Sunday Independent)

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